PM
Paul Meuer
  • Class of 2013
  • Elburn, IL

Paul Meuer of Elburn Helps Ripon College Ethics Bowl Team Advance to National Quarterfinals

2013 Mar 4

Paul Meuer of Elburn, IL helped the Ripon College Ethics Bowl team advance to the National Quarterfinals of the 17th Annual Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl. Meuer is a Senior Environmental Studies major at Ripon College and is the child of Mr. and Mrs. Michael A. Meuer .

Ripon College team members include: Kyle Ruedinger of Oshkosh, Wis.; Ariel Berres-Green of New Richmond, Wis.; Amy Reuling of Saint Germain, Wis.; Paul Meuer of Elburn, Ill.; and Sophia Kaounas of Brookings, S.D.

The National Ethics Bowl is sponsored by the Association for Practical and Professional Ethics (APPE) Annual Conference and occurred in San Antonio, Texas Feb 27-March 1. Thirty-two teams competed in this year's National Tournament, including: Colgate University, DePauw University, Georgetown University, Harper College, Moravian College, Samford College, St. Mary's College of Maryland, St. Olaf College, U.S. Naval Academy, U. of Oklahoma, U. of Tampa, Villanova University, Whitworth University, and more.

Ripon College faced Villanova in Round One and won 151-139. The questions posed included: "Are doctors morally obligated to pass along all information gained from pre-natal testing to the parents of the unborn child?" and "Should there be more stringent laws protecting disputed works of art from legal claims?"

Ripon College then faced Samford College in Round Two and tied 142-142. The questions in this round included: "Are the hunting practices [of rare/exotic ranch-bred animals] morally permissible?" and "By involving a food blogger in a deceptive taste test did the company in question do anything unethical?"

Ripon College faced off against St. Mary's College of Maryland in Round Three and won 148-136. The questions included: "Are laws that allow unlimited donations to super-PACs ethical?" and "Are geo-engineering projects [such as SPICE] morally permissible?"

In the Quarterfinal Round, Ripon College faced DePauw and lost in a close match 148-154. Questions included: "What obligations if any do public figures have to the general public and members of the community in which they live when making offensive remarks?" and "What obligation does the fashion industry have to promote a healthy body image?" DePauw moved to the final match and won the 17th Annual National Ethics Bowl.

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About Ripon College: Ripon College, founded in 1851, prepares students of diverse interests for lives of productive, socially responsible citizenship. The College's liberal arts and sciences curriculum and residential campus create an intimate learning community in which students experience a richly personalized education. Ripon College consistently has been recognized as a "Best Value" and "Best 376 College" by The Princeton Review, a "Best Buy in College Education" by Barron's, a "Best Liberal-Arts College" by Washington Monthly, a "Top 25 Schools for Do-Gooders" by Newsweek, among the top-tier and best-value colleges by U.S. News & World Report, and among the top 200 private colleges in the nation overall and for value by Forbes magazine. For more information, visit www.ripon.edu.